This is the Life
by Lilybee7147
Summary: A short story about why Hermione Granger's friends won't let her leave a seedy restaurant. And exactly what is one Draco Malfoy doing in her flat?
1. Chapter One

Hermione Granger let out a sigh of relief as she turned out the lights and locked the door to her office. "Finally! Some freedom!" she exclaimed.  
  
For the past three weeks, Hermione had been working non stop around the clock. She would go home every night at 10 PM and return to work at 6AM. She had taken to eating granola bars for meals and hadn't seen her boyfriend, Draco Malfoy in three weeks.  
  
When she stepped out into the dazzling moonlight and inhaled a breath of fresh air, someone grabbed her from behind. Out of instinct, she whipped out her wand, shoved it into her attackers side and roared, "Stupefy!" in a matter of seconds.  
  
Her attacker fell to the ground stunned. Hermione turned slowly, her wand still raised, but lowered it slightly when she saw who it was. "Ennervate," she said in a rush. Before her attacker had even gotten to his feet, Hermione had already started her verbal tirade.  
  
"Harry James Potter! How dare you sneak up on me from behind! You know who paranoid I am!"  
  
Harry picked himself up off the ground and brushed off his clothes. "Sorry Hermione. Should've known better. We're all a bit jumpy," he explained.  
  
Her expression softened. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you. I guess we're all still nervous about Death Eaters."  
  
Harry grinned. "No problem. That's probably the first time you've used magic in a while! From what I hear, you've been buried under papers for the past month. No need for magic with that."  
  
Hermione gritted her teeth. "It was only three weeks! Besides, the prototype is done so the hard part is over."  
  
Harry held up his hands in mock defeat. "Touchy, touchy! I didn't mean to offend you, Hermione. We just missed you!"  
  
"We?" Hermione asked skeptically.  
  
"Yes, we. You know, your long lost friends? The ones you've known since, say, first year? That's why you aren't allowed to go home tonight. We're taking you out to dinner."  
  
Hermione smiled weakly. "Well, if you insist. But- Draco! I haven't seen him in three weeks!"  
  
"You haven't seen us either!" Harry said, and continued before Hermione could protest. "What's more important? Some guy you started dating when you were 16, or friends you've known for half of your life?" Harry stuck out his bottom lip and made pleading puppy dog eyes.  
  
"Harry! I can't believe you're making me choose! You know I can't say no to that face!" she wailed. "Fine, I'll come, but only for a little while! You may be my friends, but Draco is my lover," she said with a humorous glint in her eyes. "He can give me things you can't."  
  
Harry laughed. "Well, I could give them to you, but Pansy might not appreciate it." Hermione glared at him. "Oh, I see what your priorities are. Pleasure first, friends later."  
  
"Damn straight!" she said jokingly.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. "Come on, we're all waiting for you at the Kettle Ho."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Author Note: Please read and review!  
  
Moony2187 


	2. Chapter Two

I'm such a push-over!" Hermione said as they walked into the pub.  
  
"Well, if the shoe fits..." Harry trailed off uncertainly.  
  
Hermione tried to whack him on the head, but he ducked out of her reach. He led Hermione over to a corner table where Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood and Pansy Parkinson were sitting, chatting unconcernedly waiting for Harry to return with Hermione.  
  
When Ron caught sight of Hermione, he exclaimed, "Oh Merlin! She IS alive! The monster sea of papers didn't drown you!"  
  
"Ha ha. Very funny," Hermione said sarcastically as she slid into the booth next to Ginny.  
  
Soon after they were all sitting around chatting. A house elf had already come and taken their orders, and refused to accept Hermione's coat as a 'gift,' when Hermione asked, "What is with the whole triple date thing? I feel like a seventh wheel."  
  
"It's Valentines Day! You didn't remember?" Pansy said in her high voice. She was looking a lot better ever since she got a nose job.  
  
"Crumple Horned Snoracks are mating tonight," Luna said in her usual dreamy voice, but her comment was lost to Hermione.  
  
"Oh Merlin! Valentines Day? I completely forgot! I've got to go see Draco! Where is he?" Hermione asked in one breath as she hopped out of the booth and pulled on her coat.  
  
"Hermione, you coat goes on the other way," Neville pointed out.  
  
Hermione let out a sigh of exasperation but pulled it on the right way. "Where's Draco?"  
  
The six of them shot each other an uneasy glance. "We don't know," Ginny said slowly after a moment of silence.  
  
"What do you mean you don't know? There are only so many places he could be!" Hermione said in a strangled voice.  
  
"Well I suppose you could check Malfoy Manor," Harry suggested.  
  
"Oh, or the Cannons practice pitch. He's their seeker this year you know," Ron said happily.  
  
"Perhaps Grimmauld Place? He's helping us redecorate," Ginny added weakly.  
  
"How about my apartment? Do you think he might be there?" Hermione asked.  
  
"No!" everyone except Luna said forcefully.  
  
Luna however replied in a floaty voice, "Yes, I believe that is where he currently is."  
  
"Luna! We weren't supposed to tell her!" Ron hissed into his girlfriends ear.  
  
Hermione's face lit up with this new information. "So he's at my place? Ok, bye! Happy Valentines Day! I'll see you later!"  
  
She was just about to apparate back to her flat when Harry grabbed her arm. "Let's just wait until the food comes," he said as he helped her out of her coat. "Think of all the poor house elves slaving away over the stove for your meal! You can take it home with you," Harry said in a desperate attempt to keep her at the pub.  
  
Harry had hit her weak spot. She glanced towards the doors of the kitchen. "Fine, but I'll take it home. I can't believe that you made me come here on Valentine's Day!"  
  
Harry and Ron exchanged knowing glances and Harry steered Hermione back to her seat. "Be right back," Harry said as he headed towards the loo, pulling a mirror out of his pocket.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author Note: Thanks for reading... please read and review!  
  
Moony2187 


	3. Chapter Three

Hermione was sitting at the table, fidgeting when Harry returned. He nodded at Ron and sat down in his seat next to Pansy. Conversation struck up around her, but Hermione simply stared at the kitchen door, waiting for it to open.  
  
As soon as the door opened and three house elves walked out balancing trays laden down with food, Hermione was already on her feet, putting her coat back on.  
  
One of the house-elves looked up at her curiously and she said breathlessly, "I need to take my food to go please."  
  
The house elf bowed courteously and said, "Anything Gertie can do for you miss." Gertie then turned and headed back to the kitchen. Hermione had a pained expression on her face as she watched the house elves' retreating form, but it disappeared when Gertie returned with the bag of Hermione's food. Hermione accepted it and tried to slip a mitten into the elves tiny hand, but the elf didn't notice.  
  
Hermione stood up and was just about to apparate back to her flat, when Ginny stood up and flung herself on Hermione. She had tears running down her freckled face.  
  
"Gin? Are you alright?" Hermione asked with concern.  
  
"Noth- Nothing is wrong! I'm just so happy for you!" she sobbed.  
  
Hermione pat her on the head awkwardly, looking questioningly at Ron, who was having a difficult time holding back his gales of laughter.  
  
Ginny let go of Hermione and slid back into the booth next to Neville. "He's so sweet. You should take a lesson from him," she whispered. Neville just looked confused.  
  
"Gin, if you're sure that you're okay, I'm going to leave. Is that alright?"  
  
"Fine, it's fine," Ginny sniffed.  
  
Harry grabbed Hermione into a hug. Ron came behind her and hugged her as well.  
  
"Uh, guys? Is everything okay?"  
  
"Everything is perfect," Harry said sincerely.  
  
"We love you, Hermione," Ron said thickly.  
  
"Um, okay. Maybe we shouldn't eat here anymore. I'm going to go. You guys are kind of freaking me out," Hermione said uncertainly.  
  
"Ok," Harry said, but showed no signs of letting her go.  
  
"You have to let me go so I can leave," Hermione reminded the boys.  
  
"Oh, right," Ron said, stepping back. "Congratulations."  
  
"Umm, ok. Bye. Thanks for dinner." Before anyone could say or do anything else, Hermione had apparated out of the Kettle Ho and to the front door of her flat.  
  
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her key and opened the door.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author Note: Please read and review!  
  
Moony2187 


	4. Chapter Four

As soon as she did, the aroma of roses overwhelmed her. She peered into the living room and saw that every possible surface was covered with lights.  
  
She walked over to the end table where she kept her keys and saw that the lights were all fairies. She bent down to peer into the face of the one perched on the edge of the table, and it was smiling.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked it. The fairy smiled at her and pointed at an object floating in the middle of the room. It started chattering excitedly.  
  
Hermione walked over to the object. It was a heart shaped box, about the size of an average muggle chocolate box. Hermione peeled the top off and inside, instead of chocolate was a note.  
  
Hello Beautiful,  
Do you really need chocolate? I personally believe that you are sweet  
enough. Happy Valentines Day!  
D.  
  
Hermione reached towards the box, to see if there was anything else inside, but before she could reach it, it turned into a rose and drifted away from her, towards the bedroom.  
  
"So you want me to follow you, do you?" Hermione asked out loud. No one answered and she followed it.  
  
It stopped in front of her bedroom door and burst into flames. Hermione looked around uncertainly. She knocked, feeling a bit silly to be knocking on the door to her own bedroom. No one answered, so she tentatively opened the door. The smell of roses almost knocked her over.  
  
Inside, every conceivable surface was covered with roses and rose petals. The floor, the ceiling, all of the furniture except the bed was covered with red roses, pink roses, purple roses, and gold roses.  
  
Hermione chuckled to herself as she saw a cluster of green roses on the book shelf in the shape of a heart. "That's the Slytherin in him," she muttered. She walked over to the bed and saw a black velvet box sitting on the rose petals.  
  
She opened it breathlessly and found it to be empty.  
  
"You have to say yes first," a voice said from the doorway. Hermione wheeled around and saw Draco Malfoy casually standing there, leaning against the door frame, and twirling a gold ring in his fingers, a grin etched on his face. He walked over to her trembling form.  
  
"Say yes to what exactly?" she asked in a shaky voice.  
  
"Leave it to you to ask me to spell everything out." Draco got down on one knee. "Hermione, I love you. Even when we were younger and I made fun of your teeth and your hair," Hermione scowled at that, "I was smitten with you. You were the only person in all of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who could keep up a decent banter with me. I finally realized how special you are in our sixth year, and I acted on that. I don't know what I would do if I lost you. Hermione Jane Granger, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author Note: Please read and review!  
  
Moony2187 


	5. Chapter Five

"Leave it to you to ask me to spell everything out." Draco got down on one knee. "Hermione, I love you. Even when we were younger and I made fun of your teeth and your hair," Hermione scowled at that, "I was smitten with you. You were the only person in all of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who could keep up a decent banter with me. I finally realized how special you are in our sixth year, and I acted on that. I don't know what I would do if I lost you. Hermione Jane Granger, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?"  
  
By this time, Hermione had tears streaming down her face. She launched herself into his arms. "You sappy ferret! Of course I will!" she exclaimed.  
  
Draco grinned and managed to unclasp her arms from around his neck and slipped the gold ring onto her left hand. After sitting and clinging to each other for dear life for about five minutes, Hermione leaned back to admire her engagement ring.  
  
She stared into his immense silver depths, then plunged forward and kissed him hard on the mouth. He responded fervently and after a few minutes, they began ripping each other's clothes off. Hermione pulled back for a moment to look into his eyes again.  
  
"Happy Valentines Day Hermione," Draco whispered as her picked her up off the floor and carried her over to the bed.  
  
"I love you Draco," she whispered back.  
  
"I love you too," he said huskily.  
  
The last thought that flitted through Hermione's head as she was lowered onto the bed was, "This is the life."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author Note: Sorry all you smut fans... nothing graphic. Just in case anyone wanted to know, the Kettle Ho is a seedy restaurant that is right down the street from where I live, my friend works there. I thought it had a fitting name for a pub in the HP universe, so I borrowed it. Also, I apologize for the corny proposal speech. Whoever requested this fic, I hope that it is what you wanted! Cheerio!  
  
Moony2187  
  
P.S. Isn't it amazing how I managed to turn a 7 page ficlet into five chapters... Ahh, the wonders of copy and paste! 


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